Yes! Yes! Yes! I had many "ah-ha" moments while reading this, it's definitely validation for the "quiet" types, and better understanding of the other side of the spectrum for either type of person - introvert or extrovert. There was definitely some personal bias that came across, though I agreed with the author so I don't fault her for that (she appears to dislike Groupthink and excessive use of team work that degrades the overall outcome of the work at hand - go figure). There were a few sections that could have been a little shorter, but overall it was a very thought-provoking read. ( )

This is a well written book. Stories are great and I am proud to say I leaned a lot. However, things are left in the air several times, because the topic of introverts vs extroverts is an ongoing research. I think it was a worthwhile effort though. I enjoyed reading it. ( )

A good book on the differences between introverts and extroverts. The author tries to make a difference between "A man of Action" and a "Man of Contemplation". There are a number of anecdotes to show the differences, and how both types are needed. Also there is an examination of how American culture has developed an extroverted ideal to lead business and society, while in other countries, the introvert is more greatly admired.Among the anecdotes are some gems, such as chess grand masters spent about 5,000 hours studying chess by themselves in the first ten years of their learning to play. This is just short of two full years of normal work out of those ten years, a sizable amount of time indeed.Academic in tone, it would have been helpful for more discussion on introvert-extrovert marriages, and what it means to have parents or children of the opposite type. There is some discussion on these topics, but not enough.Another weakness of the book is the academic bias, in that all the examples show smart and successful and contented people. More discussion on blue collar conflicts between introversion and extroversion, and how some introverted people can become successful as long distant truck drivers, and extroverts as car salesmen, would have been useful as well. ( )

Good collection of information about introversion vs extroversion and what relates to and causes these traits. Informative and, at times, riveting.

I was very disappointed that the book spent so much time on non-science/non-research material. It has sections that would best be described as self-help/parenting advice. The writing is quite adequate, but not interesting/exciting/humorous/etc. It simply does what it needs to do. These qualities removed a star from my review. ( )

A species in which everyone was General Patton would not succeed, any more than would a race in which everyone was Vincent van Gogh. I prefer to think that the planet needs athletes, philosophers, sex symbols, painters, scientists; it needs the warmhearted, the hardhearted, the coldhearted, and the weakhearted. It needs those who can devote their lives to studying how many droplets of water are secreted by the salivary glands of dogs under which circumstances, and it needs those who can capture the passing impression of cherry blossoms in a fourteen-syllable poem or devote twenty-five pages to the dissection of a small boy's feelings as he lies in bed in the dark waiting for his mother to kiss him good night. . . . Indeed the presence of outstanding strengths presupposes that energy needed in other areas has been channeled away from them.

- Allen Shawn

Dedication

To my childhood family

First words

IntroductionMontgomery, Alabama.

Quotations

To ask whether it's nature or nurture ... is like asking whether a blizzard is caused by temperature or humidity.

"It's so easy to confuse schmoozing ability with talent. Someone seems like a good presenter, easy to get along with and those traits are rewarded. Well, why is that? They're valuable traits but we put too much of a premium on presenting and not enough on substance and critical thinking." (one venture capitalist)

We need leaders who build not their own egos but the institutions they run.

So if, deep down, you've been thinking that it's only natural for the bold and sociable to dominate the reserved and sensitive, and that the Extrovert Ideal is innate to humanity, Robert McCrae's personality map suggests a different truth: that each way of being—quiet and talkative, careful and audacious, inhibited and unrestrained—is characteristic of its own mighty civilization.

Wikipedia in English (3)

Introverts are strongtheir brains are just wired differentthis can be a strength(sullijo)

▾Book descriptions

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▾Library descriptions

At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking, reading to partying; who invent and create but prefer not to pitch their own ideas; who favor working on their own over brainstorming in teams. Although they are often labeled "quiet," it is to introverts we owe many of the great contributions to society--from Van Gogh's sunflowers to the invention of the personal computer. Passionately argued, impressively researched, and filled with the indelible stories of real people, Quiet shows how dramatically we undervalue introverts, and how much we lose in doing so. Susan Cain charts the rise of "the extrovert ideal" over the twentieth century and explores its far-reaching effects--how it helps to determine everything from how parishioners worship to who excels at Harvard Business School. And she draws on cutting-edge research on the biology and psychology of temperament to reveal how introverts can modulate their personalities according to circumstance, how to empower an introverted child, and how companies can harness the natural talents of introverts. This extraordinary book has the power to permanently change how we see introverts and, equally important, how they see themselves.… (more)